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Oakley Gives Its Sunglasses a Digital Edge

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From Reuters

Oakley Inc. is jumping into the electronic age with sunglasses that play music or work with cellphones as it targets gadget lovers who want more than just protection from the sun.

The Foothill Ranch-based sports sunglasses maker plans this month to introduce its phone-ready Razrwire line, which works as a hands-free addition for Motorola Inc.’s popular Razr cellphones and marks Oakley’s latest push into electronics, part of an effort to move into new markets.

Razrwire follows the success of the digital music-playing Thump sunglasses, which have pumped up Oakley’s profit since they were introduced last year and helped drive the company’s stock price to near a three-year high.

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Some Wall Street analysts have cautioned that the move into electronics masks slowed growth in Oakley’s core sunglasses business. But investors cheered as Oakley raised its profit targets twice this year because of demand for products such as Thump.

Oakley executives say they are confident that Thump and Razrwire sunglasses, which let people receive calls and dial by voice at up to 30 feet from a compatible host cellphone, are the first of many electronic styles.

“The Thump release was just the beginning, and has opened up doors for us that we’ve always dreamed about,” Jim Jannard, Oakley’s chief executive, said during a recent investor conference call. “The projects we are working on will greatly expand Oakley’s presence in the wearable electronics market.”

Oakley shares closed Friday at $18.68, down 22 cents.

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